Last.



T. F. SKEFFINGTON.

LAST.

GATION FILED SEPT. 23, 1913.

APPLI Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

anuentoz w w m THE NORRIS PETERS c0 PHOTO- ITHO WASHINGTON. u C

UNITED sTATEsr rENT onsrcn.

THOMAS F. SKEFFINGTON, OF REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAST.

Application filed September 23, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Tnouas F. SKErrInG- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Revere, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lasts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shoemakers lasts and has as its object to provide a last so constructed as to be effectually protected against splitting, crushing and bulging, thereby enabling the user to produce heel seats of a uniform size.

It is an aim of the present inventionto provide a last with a bracing means which will bear all of the strain imposed upon the last, thereby relieving the wooden body of the last of such strain.

A further aim of the invention is to so construct the bracing means that it will not require the use of screws or other fastening devices for securing it in place, winch securing means would be liable to weaken the body of the last.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the last embo dying the present invention. F 1g. 2 1s a view partly in side elevation and partlyin vertical longitudinal: section lllustrating the invention. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. L is a group perspective view illustrating the bracing member embodying the present invention and the thimble which is assembled therewith.

In the drawings the body of the last 13 indicated by the numeral 1, the heel portion being indicated specifically by the numeral 2. The heel portion 2 is split from front to rear as indicated at 3, the split opening at the rear side of said portion. I

The bracing device embodying the present invention comprises a heel plate 4 and a butt plate 5, these plates being connected by a web 6. The heel plate 4: conforms to the shape of the upper surface of the heel portion 2 and is adapted to fit snugly upon the said surface when the bracing member is assembled with the last. The butt plate 5 is shaped to conform to the surface of the under side of the heel portion 2 and it will be observed by reference to the drawings that the device is to be assembled with the last by slipping the web 6 into the slit 3 until its forward edge abuts against the end wall of the said slit, at which time the rear Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

Serial No. 791,346.

municating with an opening 8 formed in.

the butt plate It will also be observed by reference to the said Fig. l: and to Fig. 2, that the lower ends of the side walls of the recess 7 are located at diametrically opposite sides of the opening 8 and merge with the wall of the said opening. The heel portion 2 is formed with a socket 9, the lower end of which registers with the opening 8 when the bracing device is assembled with the last,

and this recess at its upper end terminates slightly above the upper wall of the recess.

7 in the web (3, for a purpose to be presently explained.

The numeral 10 indicates a thimble which is assembled with the bracing device and which is open at its lower end and closed at its upper end as indicated at 11. In its upper end the thimble is formed with a slot.

12 which extends diametrically across the said end and at its ends extends a short distance downwardly into the wall of the thimble. The thimble 10 is of a diameter to fit within the opening 8 and between the side walls of the recess 7 and is of such length that when so disposed the web at the upper end of the recess will be received in the slot 12 and the lower end of the thimble will be flush with the under surface of the butt plate 5. This thimble is designed to receive the tang 12.) of the last stand l-iL in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. In assembling the bracing device with the last, the web 6 is fitted into the slit 3 and the thimble 10 is then fitted into the opening 8 and socket 9, whereupon the last is disposed upon the stand with the tang 13 received in the said thimble.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be seen that when the last is in use all of the strain imposed upon the same will be borne directly by the bracing device and the body of the last will, therefore, be protected, and prevented from splitting, etc.

While the thimble is adapted to securely hold the brace member in place, if desired it may be additionally held by a screw or bolt or by nails driven through it and the heel portion of the last at any suitable point.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

1. A last having a split heel portion, and a brace for the last including heel and butt plates, and a connecting Web, the Web being fitted into the said split and the heel and butt plates bearing respectively against the upper and under sides of the said heel portion, the heel portion being formed With a socket intersecting the plate, and a thinible removably fitted in the socket and constituting a means for holding the Web against removal from the split.

2. A last having a split heel portion, a Web reinovably fitted in the split, a heel plate carried by the Web and resting against the upper side of the heel portion of the last, the said portion of the last being provided with a socket and the Web being formed with a recess registering with the socket, and a thirnble reinovably fitted in the socket and in the recess in the Web and separably conti on, and a thinible fitted into the socket and recess and bearing at its end against one Wall of the recess.

4. A last having a split heel portion, a

cess and bearing at its end against one Wall of the recess, one Wall of the recess engaging the side of the thilnble whereby the Web Will be held against disengagement from the split. 7

5. A last having a split heel portion, a brace for the last including heel and butt plates and a connecting Web, the Web being fitted into said split and the heel and butt plates bearing respectively against the upper and under sides of said heel portion, the Web being recessed, and a thimble fitted through the butt plate and into the heel portion and provided in its end With a slot receiving the Web at one side of the recess.

6. A last having a slit heel portion, and a brace for the last including a heel plate resting against the upper side of the said heel portion and provided With a Web fitting in the said heel portion, and a thimble fitted into, the under side of the heel portion and bearing at its upper end against an edge of the Web.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

HENRY J. SKErrING'roN, ARTHUR B. SMITH.-

Gopiea of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01'. Patents.

Washington, D. U. 

